Automatic fire extinguisher



June 17, 1930. H. w. PARTLOW AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGU ISHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 31, 1928 June 17, 1930.

H. w. PARTLOW AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed Aug. 31. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILWilli/III]! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOWARD w. rniirtow, ornrrca, new YORK AUTOMATIC rmn Exrmoursnnn Application filed August a1, 1928. Serial No. 303,231.

, This invention relates to fire extinguishers, wherein the extinguishing medium consists .of carbon dioxide, and the like, which when" liberated smothers the fire by displacing the oxygenin the air. .The invention relates especially to means for automatically releasing the carbon dioxide, the said means being operated byone or more distant actuators, which may be thermally or otherwise con- ,10 trolle j The carbon dioxide is usually disposed in steel bottles or tanks in liquid state, the bottles being hermeticallysealed and the liquid changing to. gas when the seal is broken. I I

The primary object of my invention is to provide novelmeansfor liberating'the extinguishing gas during the incipient stages of fires, the said means comprising a gravitative member which operates an instrument, by which the sealing element, or a suitable portion ofthe bottle, may be punctured for effecting the freedischarge of the gas. This releasing mechanism, hereinafter designated 2 the gravity head, is arranged to be detachably mounted upon or adjacentthe sealed 'end of the container, and consists of arelatively heavy weight or hammer which is movable relatively to the container, the weight being held in its elevated position ready to descend and perforate the container, by a series of novel parts which are operatively connected -,with a sensitive dia phragm, the said diaphragm being flexed by a sudden blast of air derived from one of the distant actuators that communicate with the gravity head, whenever the actuator Y responds to' the action of its thermostat. A further object is to provide simple means 40 for resetting the gravitative releasing member, and for indicating that the latter is so set. And a further object is to generally improve and simplify, as well as to render more positive and reliable automatic fire extinguishers of the'non-portable class. I

The various features and parts of the invention will be understood from the detailed description which follows, and by reference to the. accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of, a fire to distant parts of a building. The chamber extinguishing system, showing aplural are rangement of the chemical tanks, releasing, and distant controlling mechanisms. Fig. 2 is a top-end view of one of the gravity heads. Fig. 3 is a bottom end view of the sam Fig. 4 is a sectional view of one of the distant controls or actuators, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 8, the view being shown horizontally instead of vertically. Fig. 5 is a vertical section, takenon line 5-5 of Fig. 2, showing the gravitative releasing mechanism, and the charging and discharging valve detachs ably mounted upon'a tank, theparts of the gravity head and valve being shown in the ready to operate positions. Fig. .6 is a broken vertical section of the same, showing the 'mechanism' of the head operated for dropping the weight that depresses-the gas releasing plunger. .Fig. 7 .is a detailview .of the closure and weight supporting mechanism, taken in the direction of the short ar"- row in Fig. 5. And Fig. 8 is an elevational view of the distant control mechanism with its cover removed.

In the drawings, 2 represents a metallic bottle or tank that contains the carbon diox- I ide, or other extinguishing fluid, the bottle being closed except at its top, which is formed with an internally threaded neck 2', to receive the reduced threaded lower end 3 of a charging and releasing valve body 3. The body 3 is hollow throughout and communicates with the tank 2, by means of a pipe 2, which screws into the part 3', and preferably extends to the bottom of the tank. The body 3 is formed with an enlarged chamber 3, and a lateral discharge open-.

ing 3', to which may be connected a pipe, as 3 (Fig. 1), to carry the extinguishing gas 3 is partially closed at its top by a valve member 4 having a threadedv portion 4 that screws into the body. The member 4 is a hollow throughout, and its top end isfitted with a bushing 49. The reduced lower end of the member 4 is fitted with a gland nut 4", which clamps a relativelythin copper or other disc 5 to the bottom of the member, and beneath the disc is a packin 5', which rests upon an upwardly facing ange 3 of the body, and cooperates with'the disc to prevent leakage or accidental discharge of the contents of the tank 2. Above the disc 5 the member4 is formed with a transverse port or opening 4*, by which the .gas discharges into the chamber 3 and thence into the pipe 3", after the disc 5 is punctured or destroyed. VVithin the hollow ofmember 4 is axially disposed a plunger 6, which recip-,

rocates in the bushing 4 The top end of the plunger extends abovethe bushing 4, and is fitted witha head 6'. To the lower end of the plunger .6 is fitted a tube 6= that extends downwardly past the port 4", its lower endywhich normally approaches close to the disc 5, being formed angular and sharp, so that when the plunger is forced downwardly, as by a heavy quick blow, the tubular knife 6 pierces the diaphragm 5, and the contents of the tank 2, which ordinarily has a pressure of fifty or more pounds per square inch, instantly discharges into the tube 6 and escapes via radial windows or openings 6 into the passage 4. A spring 6 engages a flange 6 of the plunger .and tends to normally hold the plunger above and clear of the diaphragm 5 '(see Fig. 5). The valve 3 may be transferred from one bottle to another, as the containers become emptied.

8 represents the gravity head that cooperates with and is supported bythe valve, and

comprises a tubular body 8', which is arranged to aline axially with the valve and the tank 2, the bottom end of the body being fitted with a ring-like cap 8, which is internally threaded for detachably securing the gravity head to a threaded portion 3 of the body 3. This disposes the tops of the bushings44,; as well as the head 6 of the plunger, within the tube 8 'The top end of the cylinder 8' is fitted with an' enlarged concentric extension 8 which is open at both ends and supports a flange closure 9, by which the top of the head 8 is practically sealed. The closure 9 is formed with an upwardly facing diaphragm chamber 9, and is surmounted by a disc 9 which is also formed with a coinciding complementary chamber .9 having an inlet opening 9, and between the disc and the closure is disposed a relatively sensitive diaphragmlO, which operates a plun er 10, the latter having a relatively broad isc-like head that engages the diaphragm. A nipple 1O communicates with the chamber 9 for the admission of air or other fluid for flexing the diaphragm downwardly. The plunger 10 reciprocates .in an opening in the center of the closure 9, and its lower end engages the longer arm-12' of a lever 12, which is pivoted in a depending split lug 9, by a pin 9. The shorter arm 12 of lever 12 comprises a tooth which is disposed: in the path of a rockable L-shaped lever 13,

which is formed with a head 15*.

one arm of the latter lever having a shoulder 13 which is engaged by the tooth 12, for preventing the rocking of lever '13, when the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 5. The lever, 13 is also pivoted in the lug 9, by a pin 13*, and its longer arm 13 extends inwardly beyond the lug and is engaged by and supports the free end of a latch 14 whose opposite end is pivoted in another split lug 9 of the closure. For this purpose, the latch is formed with a tooth 14, which directly engages the arm 13 (see Figs. 5'and 6). Below the'tooth 14 the latch is formed with a lip14, that projects beyond the tooth and engages the underside of the arm 13 toswing lever 13 from therelease to the lock position, as may be understood by consulting Fi s. 5 and 6.

The upward swing of the latc 14 effects the locking engagement of tooth 12 with, the

sents a relatively heavy cylindrical weight which is arranged to, reciprocatefreelyin the tubular body 8', the top of the weight being fitted with an axially alining pin 15', When the weight\15 is raised after an operation, the

head 15 first enters the gap 14, and as this upward movement continues, it swings the latch and related parts from the release position of Fig. 6, to the lock positionof Fig. 5, and'causes the free end of the fork 14 to straddle the pin 15. This disposes the head 15 in the opening immediately above the fork, and as the fork is then positioned horizontally across the axis of thebod 8, the weight 'isheld in the elevated position (see Fig. 5), until a blast of air or other force depresses-the dia hragm l0 and trips the levers 12 and 13 fidr freein and permitting the gravitation of 15. The descending weight 15, which ordinarily weighs about ten pounds, strikes the head 65 of'the plunger, 6 a sufliciently heavy blow to cause the sharp lower end of the tube 6* to puncture the diaphragm .5 and liberate the carbon dioxide gas from the the latch the weight tank 2 to quench a fire. In order to prevent the heavy weight from battering and injuring the plunger and bushing 4, an inverted cup-shaped metal guard 8 is disposed in the bottom of the body 8" and rests upon the cap 8, to absorb the shock of the blow and to support the weight after the plun er sinks below the plane of the guard. 'fhe means for indicating that the weight 15 is set ready for any emergency, comprises a rod 29 formed with a disc-head 29'fthat lays in..,a perforation in the closure 9. he lower'end of this rod is flexibly connected to the latch 14 by a link 30, andis reciprocated byjthe' raising and lowering of the latch. When the rod 29 projects well above the closure, as shown in Fig. 7, it indicates that ,the weight 15 isheld suspended by the latch. The weight supporting mechanism of the head 8, in the present case, is shown actuated by a distant control, which will now be briefly described: ,The mechanism of the distant control is supported by a base16, which is arran'gedto recelve a protecting casing. 16".

Upon the base 16 is mounted a cylinder 17, having feet 17 secured to the base by. screws 17. In practice, ihe control is dis osed vertically, as shown in Figs. 1 an 8. The 20 cylinder 17 is open at its'topv and closed at its bottom, the top being reduced, as at 17. 18 represents a plunger that slidably fits the bore of the cylinder, the top end thereof being fitted with a cylindrical weight 18', by

which the plunger is moved downwardly by gravity when released, for compressing-the,

air in the body 17,.and creating a sudden blast whichescapes through a port 17*, from which it is con gravity head, or other device, for releasing the weight 15, as described. The top end of the plunger 18 is inserted in an axial bore 18 of the weight, the said bore being enough larger than the plunger to admit the reduced portion 1'1" of the aircylinder when the weight descends. By this means a more compact arrangement of the control may be eflected. The plunger 18 is held elevated, as shown in F igs. 4 and 8, by a pin 20, which 40 is formed with a round end 20' to facilitate the quick release ofthe plunger,-when the locking pressure against the .pin is relaxed, as when a fire starts. The pin 20 is held in thelocking position by the short arm of a bell-crank 21, which is pivoted in asplit lug 16 of the cylinder 16. The weight 18.

is raised by a forked member -22, which is pivoted between the base and cover, andis fitted with an external hand-lever 22, by

- which the member is manipulated. This forked member is normally held in its lowermost. position shown in Figs. 4 and 8, by gravity,the arms 22 of the yokestraddling the cylinder 17 and being disposed in the path of the weight. The swinging upwardly of the lever 22, as shown in Fig. 1, raises the weight 18, and at the same time, the weight-rocks an angular member 23, which is also pivoted to the base, for shooting the pin 20 inwardly beneath the plunger. For,

this purpose, the member 23 is formed with an arm 23 which overlies the weight, and also with an arm 23 that is normally .in engagement with the short arm of hellcrank 21, which in turn engages the head of noted by a pipe 19 to the the pin 20.. The lever 21 is arranged to'rock ina vertical plane, as shown in Fig. 8, and

"said-lever is'tilted towards and held in the full line position, by the member 23, as long as the weight 18 is elevated. When the several parts are operated as last described,

an upright member a sort of floating lever, as 24, moves inwardly beneath the long arm of lever 21, by the tension of a spring 25.

This-tendstohold the parts in the ready-tooperate position, shown in Fi 8. The member 24 is controlled by a t ermostat comprising an expansible tube 26, which is rigidly securedin horizontal position below the casing 16 by a lug 16 of the base. Within the tube 26 is disposed a rod 27, one

end of which extends through. the lug16- and is fitted with a yoke 27. The opposite end of the rod is fitted with a nut 27 a which engages the free end of the tube 26. The turning of the nut in opposite directions moves the yoke towards and away from the to thirty degrees in the space of one minute,

owing to the adjustment of the rod 27, eifects the swaying of member 24, by means of a pair of do s 2828', which are ivoted within, but in ependently of the yo ke '27,

by,screws 27". These dogs are bell-cranks,

their short arms being'in engagement with the yoke 27 while their long arms are disposed between and engage respectively pins 24 and 24 carried by member 24. The pull on the rod27 by the lengthening of tube 26; spreadsthe long arms of the dogs 28 and efiects the outward swing of the top end of member 24, for tripping. or releasing the lever 21, which allows the Weight 18' to gravitate and, compress the air in cylinder 17, as described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, is

. 1. A latching mechanism for weight-actuated fire extinguishers wherein the weight has a headed supporting pin, including a support, a latch pivoted to the support and having a slot openlng through its bottom to receive the pin and having a forked part to engage the head of the pin to support same, one. end of the latch being free and having a tooth and a lip spaced from the tooth, a substantially L-shaped lever pivoted to the support and having one end thereof receivable in the space between the tooth and lip, a second lever pivoted to the support and having one end thereof engage- ,able with the other end of the L-shaped lever to hold the latter against rocking, a spring connected to the second lever and engaging the latch, and thermostatically controlled means engaging the other end of the second ated fire extinguishers wherein the weight has a headed supporting pin, including a support,,a latch pivoted at one end to the support and having a part'between its ends to receive the pin and to engage the head thereof, a lever pivoted to the support,

means on theopposite end of the latch to engage one of the ends of the lever, a second lever pivoted to the support and having one end engageable with the oposite end of the first lever to hold the latter against movement, a spring between the latch and second lever to press outwardly against the opposite end of the latter, and heat controlled means engaging said opposite end of the second lever to actuate same and thereby the first lever and through the latter to release the latch.

3. A latching mechanism for weight actuated fire extinguishers, including means to hold the weight in latched suspended position, heat-controlled means to release the latching means, and visual signal means operable by the latching means to indicate by its position resetting of'thelatching means.

4. A latching mechanism for fire extinguishers of the weight actuated type, includmg a pivoted latch having a free end provided with means to releasably support the weight, a pivoted device above thelatch, means on the free end of said latch to engage one end of the device whereby the latter holds the latch in latched position, a normally horizontally disposed second device above the first device and having an end engaged with the other end of the first device to hold the latter against movement,

- .a spring between the latch and the second device to press upwardly against the other end of the second device, and means to operate the other end ofthe second device thereby to operate the first-device and through the latter to release the latch.

5. A latching mechanism for fire extinguishersof the weight actuated type, including a pivoted latch having a free end provided with means to releasably support the weight, a pivoted lever, adjacent the free end of the latch, means'on the free end of said latch to engage one end of the lever whereby the latter holds the latch in latched position, a holding device above the latch and in register therewith and having an end en gaged with the other end of the lever to hold the latter against movement, spring means to hold the device in horizontal position, and

means to operate the device thereby to release the latch.

6. A latching mechanism for fire extinsignal rod for indicating in one position resetting of the latchin means and means to efiect reciprocation o the rod by the movement of the latching means.

7. A latching mechanism for fire extinguisher operators, includin means to hold the operator in latched posltion, visual signal means movable to dilferent positions, and means operable by the latching means to move the signal means to a predetermined position so as to indicate by such predetermined position resetting of the latching means.

8. A latching mechanism including a releasable latch formed to be connected to the device to be latched, a movable device to enthe device so as to hold the latch in latched position, a second device above the first devicehaving a part engaged with the first device to hold the latter latched, a spring between thelatch and the second. device and connected to one of the same and bearing against the other to press upwardly against the second device and meansto actuate the second device thereb to operate the first device and through t e latter to release the latch.-

10. A latching mechanism including a releasable' latch formed to be connected to the device to be latched, movable means to engage the latch to hold same in latching position, movable means to hold the first named movable means in latch en aging position, means to release the secon named device having a part engaged therewith, and means between the latch and the second device and carried by one of the same and bearing against the other to urge the second device, upwardly.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HOWARD W. PARTLOW. 

